Bobbin support for weft-replenishing looms



Aug. 13, 1929. K 1,724,286

136551 SUPPORT FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Filed Feb. 4, 1928 firm/far MW/Zm 17A Patented Aug. 13, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. -KI1l'G, OF CLINTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 'IO CROMPTON 6a KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

BOBQBIN SUPPORT FOR WEFT-REPLENISHING LOOMS.

Application filed. February This invention relates to improvements in bobbin supports for weft replenishing looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide an inexpensive but cilicient resilient bobbin support preferably formed of a single piece of wire bent in the form of a coiled spring.

In multicolor weft replenishing looms it is customary to arrange the variously colored bobbins awaiting transfer in parallel stacks and to move a bobbin corresponding to a depleted active shuttle to transfer position. -When in this position the bobbin rests on a plurality of supports, usually four, certain of which yield under pressure of the transferrer arm at the time of bobbin transfer. In Patents Nos. 1,608,647, and 1,612,097 to Ghevrette and in another Patent No. 1,608,650 to the same inventor and Erler there are shown various bobbin supports of pencil form which are supported for angular andlongitudinal adjustment in holders supported on the magazine frame. It is an important object of my present invention to provide a bobbin support of the general form shown in said patents but made preferably of a single piece, such as a coiled spring which shall be angularly and longitudinally adjustable and which may yield throughout its length in all directions oblique relatively to the axis thereof because of the resilience of the successive coils of which the support is formed.

The thread exten sing from a bobbin awaiting transfer to the thread holder in a multicolor weft replenishing loom usually extends over one or the other of the yielding sup ports forthe tip of the bobbin and it is a more particular object of my present invention to provide a yielding support formed of a coiled Wire or spring wherein the bobbin engaging portion is of reduced diameter to render the same more resistant to bending and thereby reduce the likelihood of the thread from a bobbin being caught between successive convolutions of the spring forming the support.

Vifith these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

4, 1928. Serial No. 251,992.

In the accompanying drawings wherein I have shown an embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse section through the lower portion of a multicolor magazine provided with my present invention and showing the supports in the bobbin sustaining position they assume prior to transfer,

Fig. 2 is a view similar to portions of Fig. 1 but with the bobbin supports moved to permit the passage of the bobbin into the depleted shuttle,

Fig. 8 is a detail top plan view taken in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 1,

Fig. 4- is an enlarged vertical section on line 1- 1- of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan of one end of the yielding supports and taken in the direction of arrow 5, Fig. 2, and

Fig. 6 is a top plan View showing the rear tip support for the bobbin, moved to a dill erent position from that shown in Fig.

Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of the sup porting element.

Referring to Fig. 1 I have shown a loom frame 10 which supports the foot 11 of a multicolor wcit replenishing m chanism or magazine 12. The latter is provided with a stud 13 on which is mounted for limited angular movement a transferrer arm l l having a portion 15 which extends substantially parallel to and above the shuttle to be replenished, being held yieldingly in the position shown in Fig. 1 by a spring not shown but located around the stud 13. The magazine embraces in its construction plurality of tie rods 16, 17 and 18, respectively, which are the means by which the outer plate not shown of the magazine may be supported. A plurality of webs 19 define several vertical parallel compartments in which the bobbins are located as they await transfer; The mechanism thus far dc scribed may be substantially the same as of the tip end of the bobbin. While my invention relates generally to a yieldable bobbin support yet I have chosen to illustrate the same herein as associated only with the tip of the bobbin.

The rear butt support for the bobbin may include an inclined yieldable guide member 20 having a vertical extension 21 which by means of a stud 22 is connected to a link 23 movable about a fixed stud 2 1. This particular construction of butt support may be the same as shown in patent to Ryon No. 1,366,950. The inclined support 20 may be pivoted as at 25 to a vertically extending link 26 which is mounted for pivotal movement about the rear tie rod 18. Said link 26 may have a lower extension 27 to cooperate with a member not shown but controlled by the replenishing mechanism to hold the support 20 normally in bobbin releasing position. he link 26 and extension 27 may be substantially the same as shown in patent to Ryon No. 1,307,024. The front butt support for the bobbin may be a fixed guide 28. These supports for the butt of the bobbin form no part of the present invention and are set forth merely to indicate a means for supporting that part of the bobbin which is received by the springs of the shuttle of a weft replenishing loom.

' Secured to each of the tie rods 17 and 18 is a holder 29 made in two parts, the upper part of which 30 has secured thereto the lower cap portion 31 by means of a bolt or screw 32. Said parts 30 and 31 may be separated by loosening the bolt or screw 32 and each holder 29 may be held in adjusted angular position on the corresponding tie red by means of a set screw 33. The holder may be the same as set forth in the aforesaid patents to Chevrette and forms no part of my present invention other than to afford support for the giveway or bobbin support forming the subject matter of my present invention.

My present invention relates to the bobbin support which is held by the holder 29 andin carrying my invention into eifect I provide an elongated bobbin supporting element'tO which is formed of a single piece of wire coiled tightly so that there is no space between adjacent convolutions of the spring. Said element extends between the members 30 and 31 of the holder and a portion of said element may extend beyond the holder in a direction opposite to the location of the bobbin B when the latter is in transfer position as at 41. That portion of the element 40 which is to have contact with the bobbin may if desired be rendered of conical form as shown at 42 by an appropriate winding operation, the coils as they approach the bobbin supporting end of the bobbin 40 being made of progressively reducing diameters. As shown in Fig. 3 the rear support 40 is spaced from the wooden portion W of the bobbin so as to lie beyond the conical portion C of the wound mass of thread T. This location may be substantially the same as that set forth in patent to Chevrette No. 1,566,736. If desired, however, both the front and back bobbin supports 40 may be in substantial alignment and support the wooden portion of the bobbin as indicated .in Fig. o.

It is found that when a bobbin is moved from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that in Fig. 2 by transferrer arm 1-1: both supporting elements a0 will yield as shown in Fig. 2. The entire length of the supporting element 40, being resilient, may yield to permit easy passage of the bobbin out of the magazine and into the depleted shuttle. I find also that the successive coils of the member 4L0 which lie between the portions 30 and 31 assist by their shape to prevent sliding of the elements 10 in the holders 29.

As shown in Fig. 5 I may form the bobbin engaging portion of each of the elements -10 in the form of cone, the coils or convolu' tions of the spring nearest the bobbin being of least diameter. The effect of this is to render the coils in the conical part of the support very still? so that they resist separation and there is therefore very little likelihood that the thread T extending from the conical portion C of the bobbin will ever pass between two adjacent coils when the bobbin support is in the position shown in Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. i the supporting element 10 may be made of substainxially round wire but if desired I may form the same of wire which when wound to form the support will be substantially rectangular in cross section as shown in Fig. 7. This latter form presents a surface which is practically cylindrical and smooth so as to offer a minimum resistance to the passage of the thread T across the successive coils. While I have shown the bobbin support as having a conical tip yet certain advantages of my invention may be retained without the use of this particular form, such for instance as that shown in Fig. 8 where both ends o the supporting member 40 are substantially of the same diameter, said supporting element in this instance being formed by cutting a coil spring of indeterminate length into the required shorter lengths.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple form of bobbin support which is inherently resilient throughout its length and is so designed as to be both longitudinally and angularly adjustable in the holder therefor. It will also be seen that when the supporting element 10 is provided with a conical bobbin engaging end the latter is rendered more resistant to flexing with the result that there is very little if any opportunity for the thread extending from the bobbin to become lodged or caught between successive coils on the conical part of the support when the bobbin passes from the magazine to the shuttle to be replenished. It will also be seen that the spring support may be made of wire which is either round or of rectangular cross section and it will further be seen that said supports are equally effective whether they be located in the position shown in Fig. 3 or that shown in Fig. 6. Also, it will be seen that the conical form of bobbin engaging end for the support, while being desirable under certain circumstances, is not absolutely necessary as the support may be shown as set forth in Fig. 8.

Having thus described my invention it will be apparent that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a weft replenishing mechanism for looms, a holder supported by the replenishing mechanism, and a bobbin support held by the holder and formed throughout its length of a coil spring the successive convolutions of which are in close contact with each other, the axis of the spring transversely of the axis of a bobbin supported thereby in transfer position.

2. In a weft replenishing mechanism for looms, a holder supported by the replenishing mechanism, and a bobbin support held directly by the holder and formed of a single piece of wire coiled on itself throughout the length of the support and having a bobbin engaging portion, the axis of the support extending substantially perpendicular to a bobbin supported thereby and awaiting transfer.

In a weft replenishing mechanism for looms, a holder supported by the replenishing mechanism, and a bobbin support formed solely of a coiled spring the successive convolutions of which are in close contact with each other, the axis of said spring being substantially perpendicular to the axis of a bobbin supported thereby and awaiting transfer.

4. In a weft replenishing mechanism for looms, a holder supported by the replenishing mechanism, and a bobbin support held by the holder and formed of a coil spring the successive convolutions of which are in close contact with each other, the axis of the spring lying transversely of the axis of a bobbin supported thereby in transfer position, the convolutions of the spring member in contact with the bobbin being of successively different diameters to present a conical portion the smaller portion of which ongages the bobbin.

5. In a weft replenishing mechanism for looms, a holder having two portions which are relatively movable with respect to each other, a bobbin support formed throughout its length of a coiled spring, a part of the spring extending between the portions of the holder, and means to hold the portions of the holder against the coiled spring support to prevent movement of the latter relatively tothe holder.

6. A bobbin support for a loom weft replenishing mechanism comprising a coiled spring the successive convolutions of which are in close contact with each other, the support being resilient throughout its entire length and capable of flexing at any point throughout its length, one end of said support being conical.

7. A bobbin support for a loom weft replenishing mechanism comprising a coiled spring the successive convolutions of which are in close contact with each other, the support being resilient throughout its entire length and capable of flexing at any point throughout its length, one end of said support being conical, the coils at one end of the support being of progressively differing diameters to present a conical end for the support.

8. In a weft replenishing mechanism for a loom having a bobbin to move to transfer position, a holder supported by the replenishing mechanism, a bobbin support hold by the holder to hold the bobbin in transfer position, that portion of the support which supports the bobbin being formed of a coil spring the successive convolutions of which are in close contact with each other, the axis of the support lying transversely of the axis of a bobbin supported thereby in trans fer position.

In testimony whereof he has hereunto affixed his signature.

WILLIAM H. KING. 

